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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Understand GK requires special training outside of team practice. Most clubs never give the GK proper training. Its more than serving a ball and teaching to catch. The GK sees the game from a totally different view than the other field players. Unless your coach can teach that aspect he is failing your player. Dont be afraid to request and stay stern that your player is not getting the proper training.[/quote]

+1000000 this.  DD is in college now and plays GK at a smaller D1 school.  Over the years, she's trained with several excellent GK coaches who gave her a lot of very good advice.  Looking back on her soccer "career", I would humbly offer this advice:

GK is a unique position with specialized training that many team coaches aren't qualified to provide.  Beyond the technical skills and understanding of the game, being a GK also requires mental toughness and resiliency.  In particular at younger ages, one of the most important things a coach can do to help foster this is to take a "positive" approach to coaching.  https://positivecoach.org/ is a great resource for that.  Young GKs need to know that it's ok to make a mistake and that they're not going to be blamed/criticized for it.  Often, coaches are more focused on winning games than anything else.  Obviously giving up a goal isn't conducive to winning games and I've seen more than a few coaches who were quick to be critical of a young GK when it happens.  Think about what that does to the (usually fragile) psyche of a young player who is often known as the "last line of defense".  I'm not suggesting that coaches can't be tough, just that they should be cognizant of how that message is being received.  Building trust and confidence will matter a lot more in the long run than winning a particular game or even a tournament.  Unfortunately, it can be hard to know if your coach subscribes to this philosophy or not, especially on a new team.

Depending on age, I would also suggest that a coach singling out (young) players to play GK is actually not a good thing unless the kid(s) are interested in the position.  If that's not your DS, I would simply explain that you're ok with (most) everyone rotating through goal but your son isn't interested in being a full-time GK (or even splitting time with one other player).  If the coach doesn't respect that, then it might be time for you to find another team.  Your childs' happiness and enjoyment of the game are much more important (especially at a young age) than filling the GK role if his heart isn't really in it.[/quote]

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